Westward Ho! beach officially in the top 20 beaches in the UK

NEWS FLASH Westward Ho! Beach is awarded the coveted Blue Flag status again this year in 2017 making it one of the safest, cleanest and most desirable beaches in the U.K. Yet another reason to stay at Westward Living for your beach break, call us to check availability on 01237 238978

The Blue Flag beach award is widely considered the gold standard for beaches. Awarded by the Foundation for Environmental Education, the Blue Flag is internationally recognised.

Whilst most people are aware that Blue Flag certification guarantees the quality of bathing water this is only part of the criteria. At this point it is worth stressing that a Blue Flag beach is not necessarily any better than other beaches. In fact, quite the opposite is true of many of Britain’s smaller, picturesque coves. The Blue Flag award is ideally suited to resort beaches with plenty of facilities. It is for this reason that the other awards granted in the UK may be of equal or more use in choosing a suitable beach.

The Blue Flag criteria are divided into four categories with a total of 33 individual targets. These main categories are:

Environmental Education and Information This includes information on the Blue Flag award itself along with details on the water quality. A beach map including locations of facilities must also be displayed.

Water Quality Second on the list is what most people assume the Blue Flag is all about. The most important stipulation is that no industrial, waste-water or sewage-related discharges should affect the beach.

Environmental Management These criteria include the administrative side of things as well as keeping the beach clean. It also states there must be toilets available to the public.

Safety and Services At the top of the list here is the beach should be patrolled by lifeguards. Other criteria include availability of drinking water and accessibility features.

If you are lucky enough to be staying in the Seahorse Apartments you will see this incredible stretch of golden sandy beach from your lounge window, its only a short walk or drive from our luxury cottages at Westward Living.

We offer flexible changeover dates of Friday and Monday which enable guests to enjoy short and long breaks throughout the year. We are also able to accommodate more flexible dates upon request and subject to availability